초록 ▼

A modular component nuclear fuel assembly design in which sub-assembly fuel modules are joined together to form an integral fuel assembly. The invention permits a defective or damaged fuel assembly to be reconstituted from new sub-assembly fuel modules thereby facilitating quick repair. By using sub

A modular component nuclear fuel assembly design in which sub-assembly fuel modules are joined together to form an integral fuel assembly. The invention permits a defective or damaged fuel assembly to be reconstituted from new sub-assembly fuel modules thereby facilitating quick repair. By using sub-assembly fuel modules, the invention allows for modular enrichment and/or burnup variations within a fuel assembly and permits tailoring of reactivity and/or fuel burnup within the core thereby enhancing fuel management and utilization and enabling peaking factors to be reduced. The sub-assembly fuel module design permits easy access to interior fuel rods thereby affording an increased fuel rod surveillance capability and further permits advanced fuel design to be incorporated into a reactor core with a minimum of risk.

대표청구항 ▼

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor core comprising at least two sub-assembly fuel modules, each of said sub-assembly modules containing a plurality of axially extending fuel rods and comprising: a bottom nozzle module having an associated bottom plate module; a top nozzle module having an associa

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor core comprising at least two sub-assembly fuel modules, each of said sub-assembly modules containing a plurality of axially extending fuel rods and comprising: a bottom nozzle module having an associated bottom plate module; a top nozzle module having an associated top plate module; at least one guide tube extending between said top and bottom modules; at least one fuel rod spacer grid module fixed to said guide tube for laterally supporting said fuel rods; a joining means including an interlocking means for removably securing the top and bottom nozzle modules respectively of adjacent sub-assembly fuel modules together to form an integral assembly from said sub-assembly modules, said joining means being operable to facilitate rapid assembly and disassembly of said fuel assembly into its component sub-assemblies.